Fools Rush In (1997 film)

Alex Whitman, a New York City architect, is sent to Las Vegas to supervise the construction of a nightclub that his firm has been hired to build. He is a strait-laced WASP-ish type and meets Isabel Fuentes, a free-spirited Mexican-American photographer. Alex and Isabel are immediately attracted and spend the night together. In the morning, Isabel quietly slips away while Alex is still asleep.

Three months later, Isabel finds Alex at work to tell him she is pregnant with his child. She has decided to keep and raise the child alone, although it will disappoint her family. Isabel asks Alex to a family dinner so they can meet the baby's father at least once. He agrees, and despite some cultural differences, finds himself more attracted to Isabel. Though Isabel is prepared to say goodbye, Alex suggests they pursue a relationship.

Alex proposes and they quickly marry at a Las Vegas wedding chapel (with an Elvis impersonator serving as a witness). However they gradually, both wonder if they belong together, especially as Alex struggles to balance his New York career with Isabel's desire to stay in Nevada, near her family.

In early June, when Alex is at his company's NYC office his boss tells him to return on July 1 for a new project and promotion. He secretly agrees to it, although he'd promised Isabel they wouldn't go until after the baby is born in October.

The newlyweds fight when Isabel finds out why he's been so busy and distant. Isabel suffers from a medical complication. While in the hospital, she lets Alex believe she lost the baby and says they're not meant to be together.

Disappointed, Alex returns to New York while Isabel, who is still pregnant, goes to Mexico to stay with her great-grandmother. After being served with divorce papers, he sees several 'signs' such as a priest telling him to watch carefully for guidance, he almost trips over a chihuahua, sees a landscape photo of the Grand Canyon and finally a young hispanic girl named Isabel can't keep her eyes off him. Alex realizes he loves Isabel and wants her more than his career.

Alex travels to rural Mexico to find Isabel, unaware she is still pregnant. Her great-grandmother, who only speaks Spanish, reveals that Isabel loves Alex and is driving back to Las Vegas to have her baby (which he only understands as she has returned to Las Vegas). He intercepts her at the Hoover Dam and says he loves her, then realizes she is still pregnant.

Isabel suddenly goes into labor and gives birth to a daughter which coincides with their divorce becoming finalized. Soon after they remarry with both families present, atop a cliff overlooking the Grand Canyon.

• Matthew Perry as Alex Whitman
• Salma Hayek as Isabel Fuentes-Whitman
• Jon Tenney as Jeff
• Carlos Gómez as Chuy
• Tomas Milian as Tomas Fuentes
• Siobhan Fallon as Lainie
• John Bennett Perry as Richard Whitman
• Stanley DeSantis as Judd Marshall
• Suzanne Snyder as Cathy Stewart
• Anne Betancourt as Amalia Fuentes
• Jill Clayburgh as Nan Whitman
• Garret Davis as Stan
• Annie Combs as Dr. Lisa Barnes, Ob-Gyn
• Annetta Ray as minister performing marriage
• Debby Shively as Donna, construction manager
• Robert Arevalo as Miguel Fuentes

The following list of titles represents the music used in sequence with the movie.

1. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town – Burl Ives (office Christmas party scene)
2. Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley (Alex gets excited about Las Vegas)
3. Las Abajeñas – Mariachi Reyes de Aserradero
4. Two to Tango – Vanessa Daou (one-night stand/morning after)
5. Para Donde Vas – The Iguanas (playing while Alex follows Isabel in his car, just after she announces she's pregnant)
6. El Pichon
7. La Martiniana
8. Ain't That a Kick in the Head – Dean Martin (Elvis impersonator wedding/honeymoon scene)
9. Linda Guerita – Brave Combo
10. Si Tu Te Vas – Enrique Iglesias
11. Mi Tierra – Gloria Estefan
12. La Virgen de la Macarena – Pérez Prado
13. Nothing is Permanent – Brave Combo
14. La Bamba – Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
15. Los Machetes – Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
16. Fever – Peggy Lee (Alex's parents leaving Las Vegas scene)
17. Talk to Me – Wild Orchid ("Boulevard Club" opening night scene)
18. Naked Eye – Luscious Jackson ("Boulevard Club" opening night scene/Isabel walks out)
19. I Wonder – Chris Isaak (Isabel on her way to her grandmother's house)
20. Danke Schoen – Wayne Newton (Alex's "epiphany"/leaving New York)
21. It's Now or Never – Elvis Presley (Alex on the trail to find Isabel)
22. Can't Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley (The "real wedding"/closing credits)

Fools Rush In received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 34% based on reviews from 32 critics, with an average score of 5.2 out of 10. The consensus states: "Only Fools Rush In to see a basic romantic comedy where opposites try to attract and find an unlikely happy ending."[3] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average using critical reviews, the film received a score of 37 out of 100 based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[4] A more positive review came from Roger Ebert of The Chicago-Sun Times, who gave the film 3 stars out of a possible 4. He described Fools Rush In as "a sweet, entertaining retread of an ancient formula", elevated by good performances (particularly Hayek) and an insightful "level of observation and human comedy".[5]

• List of films set in Las Vegas

• Fools Rush In at IMDb
• Fools Rush In at AllMovie
• Fools Rush In at Box Office Mojo